Nagpur: The Nagpur Division of Central Railway on Wednesday apprehended and booked five unauthorized vendors aboard 12289-12290 Nagpur-CSMT Duronto Express. The vendors were offering entire catering services to passengers and charging exorbitant rates, taking advantage of the fact that no IRCTC agency was in operation aboard the Duronto Express since August 30, 2024.
The IRCTC appointed Nagpur-based PS Enterprises to offer catering services in Nagpur-Duronto Express for three months from June 1, 2024 to August 30, 2024. Prashant Bhanarkar, owner of PS Enterprises, denied his role in unauthorized vending. “My contract is over and I’m out. These vendors are in no way connected to me and the railway should take action against them.”
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Basant Shukla, General Secretary of the Bharatiya Yatri Kendra (BYK), a registered body working for the welfare of railway passengers, claimed that illegal vendors were active since September 1, 2024, when the catering contract came to an end. These vendors were selling veg thali for Rs 120, non-veg thali for Rs 150, and drinking water bottles for Rs 30.
“The BYK received several representations and videos from regular Duronto commuters about illegal vending. Based on this evidence, I complained to the DRM. The action seems to be a response to BYK’s complaint. We welcome the action by the commercial department,” said Shukla.
Shukla said in April 2024, 35 passengers aboard Gorakhpur Express took ill after eating stale biryani supplied by illegal vendors in Nagpur. Since then, a massive drive was undertaken against illegal vending by the Central Railway. However, the drive seems to have slowed down now.
Senior DCM Aman Mittal said, “We did an undercover operation to nab the culprits. Five persons were arrested. None of them had ID cards. The accused said they were operating since Monday. We confiscated food materials and deboarded them at Butibori station. They were produced before the magistrate on Thursday.”
